Mutualisms with new host lineages can provide symbionts with novel ecological opportunities to expand their geographical distribution, thereby leading to evolutionary diversification. Because ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi provide ideal opportunities to test the relationship between host shifts and diversification, we tested whether mutualism with new host lineages could increase the diversification rates of ECM fungi. Using a Bayesian tree inferred from 23 027-base nucleotide sequences of 80 single-copy genes, we tested whether the diversification rate had changed through host-shift events in the monophyletic clade containing the ECM fungal genera Strobilomyces and Afroboletus...

We describe Genaemirum phagocossorum Rousse, Broad & van Noort, sp. n., a new ichneumonine parasitoid wasp reared from Eucalyptus nitens logs infested by the cossid moth Coryphodema tristis, which is considered a major pest of forestry and food crops in South Africa. This is the first plausible host association for the genus, and fits with the host association predictions of Heinrich. Two further undescribed species were found in the collections of the Natural History Museum in London and are described as Genaemirum phacochoerus Broad, Rousse & van Noort, sp...

In this work, liquid nitrogen was used for the first time in the pretreatment of plant biomasses for purposes of enzymatic saccharification. After treatment (cryocrushing), the initial rates of the enzymatic hydrolysis of eucalyptus sawdust and rice hull were increased more than ten-fold. Cryocrushing did not modify significantly the contents of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in both eucalyptus sawdust and rice hulls. However, substantial disorganization of the lignocellulosic materials in consequence of the pretreatment could be observed by electron microscopy...

Combustion of residual forest biomass (RFB) derived from eucalypt (Eucalyptus globulus), pine (Pinus pinaster) and golden wattle (Acacia longifolia) was evaluated in a pilot-scale bubbling fluidised bed reactor (BFBR). During the combustion experiments, monitoring of temperature, pressure and exhaust gas composition has been made. Ash samples were collected at several locations along the furnace and flue gas treatment devices (cyclone and bag filter) after each combustion experiment and were analysed for their unburnt carbon content and chemical composition...

Thirty samples from thirteen Sicilian monofloral honeys by the local black honeybee, and two honeydew honeys, were studied to assess phenol content, reducing power and antioxidant capacity as well as correlations among these parameters. Honeys from Apiaceae showed the highest phenol amount and capacity to reduce ferric ion and stable chemical radicals, whereas honeys from Leguminosae the lowest. All honeys were active against myoglobin-derived radicals usually formed in red meat after storage and/or heating and significant correlation (p = 0...

Defoliation may initiate physiological recovery and chemical defence mechanisms that allow a plant to improve fitness after damage. Such responses may result in changes in plant resource allocation that influence growth and foliar chemistry. In this study, we investigated the nature and stability of the defoliation response of juvenile plants from three divergent populations of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. A partial defoliation treatment that removed all upper crown leaves and the apical buds was applied to plants sourced from eight families from each of three populations representing contrasting chemical resistance to mammalian herbivory...

BACKGROUND: The Xklp2 (TPX2) proteins belong to the microtubule-associated (MAP) family of proteins. All members of the family contain the conserved TPX2 motif, which can interact with microtubules, regulate microtubule dynamics or assist with different microtubule functions, for example, maintenance of cell morphology or regulation of cell growth and development. However, the role of members of the TPX family have not been studied in the model tree species Eucalyptus to date. Here, we report the identification of the members of the TPX2 family in Eucalyptus grandis (Eg) and analyse the expression patterns and functions of these genes...

Pantoea ananatis, a bacterium that is well-known for its phytopathogenic characteristics, has been isolated from a myriad of ecological niches and hosts. Infection of agronomic crops such as maize and rice can result in substantial economic losses. In the last few years, much of the research done on P. ananatis has been based on the sequencing and analysis of the genomes of strains isolated from different environments and with different lifestyles. In this review we summarise the advances made in terms of pathogenicity determinants of phytopathogenic strains of P...

Enzymatic catalysis is an eco-friendly strategy for the production of high-value low-molecular-weight aromatic compounds from lignin. Although well-definable aromatic monomers have been obtained from synthetic lignin-model dimers, enzymatic-selective production of platform monomers from natural lignin has not been accomplished. In this study, we successfully achieved highly specific production of aromatic monomers with a phenylpropane structure directly from natural lignin using a cascade reaction of ß-O-4 cleaving bacterial enzymes in one pot...

BACKGROUND: The development of alternative approaches in ectoparasite management is currently required. Essential oils have been demonstrated to exhibit fumigant and topical toxicity to a number of arthropods. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential efficacy of ten essential oils against Sarcoptes scabiei. METHODS: The major chemical components of the oils were identified by GC-MS analysis. Contact and fumigation bioassays were performed on Sarcoptes mites collected from experimentally infected pigs...

Short rotation plantations (SRPs) are fast-growing trees (such as willow (Salix spp.), poplar (Populus spp.) and Eucalyptus) grown closely together and harvested in periods of 2-20 years. There are around 50,000 hectares of SRPs in Europe, a relatively small area considering that there have been supportive policy measures in many countries for 30 years. This paper looks at the effect that the policy measures used in different EU countries have had, and how other external factors have impacted on the development of the industry...

INTRODUCTION: Few studies investigated nostril-advantage in chemosensory perception, particularly, in relation to handedness. The aim of the present article was therefore to assess whether trigeminal/olfactory perception is altered by handedness. METHODS: We tested 50 (all right-handed) and 43 (22 left-handed) participants in Studies 1 and 2, respectively. We used binary mixtures of cinnamaldehyde and eucalyptol, in different proportions presented as physical mixtures (the same exact mixture presented birhinally to each nostril) or as a dichorhinic mixtures (different mixtures presented to each nostril)...

Annotation of the Eucalyptus grandis genome showed a large amplification of the DREB1/CBF group without recent DREB2 gene duplication compared to other plant species. The present annotation of the CBF and DREB2 genes from a draft of the Eucalyptus gunnii genome sequence reveals at least an additional CBF copy in the E. gunnii genome compared to E. grandis, suggesting that this group is still evolving, unlike the DREB2 group. This study aims to investigate the redundancy/neo- or sub-functionalization of the duplicates and the relative involvement of the two groups in abiotic stress responses in both E...

We present two comprehensive data sets that describe xylem vessel diameters and related sapwood traits for species of Eucalyptus from arid and semi-arid woodlands and forests in Australia. Between 2009 and 2014, sapwood of mature trees was sampled in south-western, south-eastern and eastern Australia. One additional species was sampled from tropical north-western Australia. The first data set describes samples collected from the basal stem section (130 cm above ground) of three individuals of 31 species of which eight species were replicated at sites that differed in climatic conditions...

Among the many types of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment methods, the use of ionic liquids (ILs) is regarded as one of the most promising strategies. In this study, the effects of four kinds of ILs for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass such as bagasse, eucalyptus, and cedar were evaluated. In direct ethanol fermentation from biomass incorporated with ILs by cellulase-displaying yeast, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Bmim][OAc]) was the most effective IL. The ethanol production and yield from [Bmim][OAc]-pretreated bagasse reached 0...

Dark respiration measurements with open-flow gas exchange analyzers are often questioned for their low accuracy as their low values often reach the precision limit of the instrument. Respiration was measured in five species, two hypostomatous (Vitis Vinifera L. and Acanthus mollis) and three amphistomatous, one with similar amount of stomata in both sides (Eucalyptus citriodora) and two with different stomata density (Brassica oleracea and Vicia faba). CO2 differential (ΔCO2) increased two-fold with no change in apparent Rd, when the two leaves with higher stomatal density faced outside...

The metal contamination in reclaimed mine soil (RMS) of Jharia coal field, Dhanbad (India) using various contamination indices and their accumulation in tissues of Eucalyptus hybrid were assessed. In RMS, metal concentrations were found higher (202%-533%) than control soil (CS) with major contribution of Co and Mn followed by Zn, Cu and Pb. Principal component analysis (PCA) of metals present in RMS was carried out to assess their origin in RMS. The contamination factor (CF) values in RMS indicated moderate to very high level of pollution (ranged between 2...

Agri-wastes biochars viz. eucalyptus bark (EBBC), corn cob (CCBC), bamboo chips (BCBC), rice husk (RHBC) and rice straw (RSBC) and acid treated RSBC (T-RSBC), were characterized for their physico-chemical properties and sorption behaviour of atrazine and imidacloprid was studied. Kinetics study suggested that except atrazine adsorption on RSBC, which was best explained by the pseudo second order model, sorption of atrazine and imidacloprid on biochars was well explained by the modified Elovich model. Among the five normal biochars, the RSBC showed the maximum atrazine (37...